Implement for removing snow and like work



Sept 1%, 1933. s. YOUNG 11,927,196

IMPLEMENT FOR REMOVING SNOW AND LIKE WORK Filed Jan. 18, 1953 INVENTOR Patented Sept. 19, I933 PATENT OFFICE.

IMPLEMENT on REMOVING SNOW AND I LIKE, WORK Samuel Young, Arlington, N. J.

. Application January 18,

9 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved means for removing snow from sidewalks, paths, etc.; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to an improved construction of hand im plement adaptedespecially for pushing manipula tion in displacing snow or other materials desired to be removed from one place to another.

This invention has for its principal object to provide a novel construction of implement for the purposes mentioned which is extremely light in weight and yet strong and durable, which is capable of manipulation by a pushing or thrusting action rather than a shoveling and lifting action, and which, in consequence, may be effectively used with a minimum of effort to thereby considerably reduce the manual labor involved.

This invention has for a further object to provide a novel implement comprising apush-plate or blade provided with a handle member for manipulating the same, together with a novel means for reenforcing and staying the former in its operative connected relation to the latter, whereby the same is rigidly and strongly supported against strains and stresses consequent upon its use, as well as against displacement from such operative relation to the handle member.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the novel implement constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same, with a portion of the handle broken away; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same, with aportion of the handle removed; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical central section, drawn on a somewhat enlarged scale; and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross section, taken on line 55 in Fig. 4.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawing, the reference character 6 indicates the body of the push-plate or blade of the implement. Preferably this pushplate or blade consists of a rectangular member made of wood or like substantially rigid but comparatively light weight material, the same being of suitable widthfrom end to end, usually from twenty to twenty-six inches, and from five to seven inches or "more in height. Preferably,

1933. Serial No. 652,269 (Cl. 37-53) the vertical ends of the push-plate or blade. 6 may be reenforced by vertical battens 7, suitably secured thereto upon the rear face thereof contiguous to said ends, although such battens may be omitted entirely, or other forms of end reen- 3O forcing means may be employed if desired. The bottom margin, and preferably the top margin also, of the push-plate or blade are shaped to provide straight edges, and particularly a straight bottom edge 8 (see Fig. 1'). At a point midway between the ends and intermediate the top and bottom edges of the push-plate or blade 6, the same is provided with a handle receiving opening 9, preferably of rectangular cross-sectional shape, and disposed in an oblique direction extending downwardly from the rear face of the pushplate or blade to the front face thereof.

The reference character 10 indicates a handle member of suitable length, and preferably of round cross-sectional shape. Formed at the inher end of said handle member 10 is a coupling shank 11,.which is preferably of tapered form and of rectangular cross-sectional shape to correspond with the shape ofthe receiving opening 9 of the push-plate or blade 6; Said handle member 10 is assembled with the push-plate or blade 6 by inserting said coupling shank 11 through the receivingv opening 9, whereby said handle member inclines rearwardly and upwardly from the rear face of the push-plate or blade 6, with the latter pitched in a slightly rearward and upward inclination from a vertical plane. If desired, a washer 12, held in place against the rear face of the push-plate or blade 6 by a cross-pin 1.3, or other suitable retaining means, engaged through the handle member 10, may be used to support the push-plate or blade 6 against rearward displacement along and upon said handle memberlO. i Y

Said coupling shank 11, when extended through the body of the push-plate or blade 6, projects somewhat beyond the forward face of the latter, thus providing an anchor nose 14. Novel means to reenforce and stay the push plate or blade 6 against yielding displacement under the rearwardly pressing stresses, transmitted especially to the bottom edge portion of the same, when thrust against material to be moved, is provided. This means is of such form, arrangement and construction as to provide a maximum of sustaining support, while nevertheless, per se, adding but little additional weight to the implement as. a whole. This reenforcing and stay means comprises a wire strut having its intermediate portion wound around said anchor nose 14, thus forming a looped anchor portion 15 lying adjacent to the front face of said push-plate or blade 6. To hold said looped anchor portion 15 against outward displacement, and also to assist in holding the push-plate or blade against separation from the handle member 10, a crosspin 16, or other suitable retaining means, is en gaged through the anchor nose 1% along the exterior side of said looped anchor portion 15. The wire strut preferably comprises two arms or extensions 17 leading from opposite sides of said looped anchor portion 15 upwardly over the outer face of the push-plate or blade 6, and the latter is provided with an opening or passage 18 extending rearwardly therethrough adjacent to its upper or top edge portion. Said strut extensions 17 are passed rearwardly through said opening or passage 18, thence to extend rearwardly and downwardly to a point on the handle member 10 spaced a suitable distance from the push-plate or blade 6, thereby forming an oblique stay portion 19. The handle member 10 is provided at this point with an opening or passage 20, preferably extending vertically therethrough. The terminal portions 21 of said stay portion 19 are passed downwardly through said opening or passage 20, and the respective end portions thereof are wound, preferably in opposite directions, about the handle member 10 to form anchoring convolutions 22, the respective ends of which are brought together and intertwisted to form a securing interlock 23. l

A means to reenforce and stay the push-plate or blade 6 against lateral yielding or displacement relative to its normal fixed relation to and upon the end of the handle member 10 is provided. This means is also of such form, arrangement andconstruction as to provide a maximum of sustaining support, while nevertheless, per so, add-- ing but little additional weight to the implement as a whole. This lateral stay means comprises wire brace members 24 having at their outer ends anchor loops'25 extended forwardly through the respective end portions of the push-plate or blade 6, thence upwardly across the face of the latter, and thence rearwardly through said respective end portions of the push-plate or blade, with the free terminal portion intertwisted with the main body of the brace member to form an interlock fastening 26. The respective brace members 24, as thus respectively anchored to the respective end portions of the push-plate or blade, are extended obliquely and laterally inward to a point on the handle member 10 spaced rearwardly from the push-plateor blade, and preferably spaced rearwardly from the point of anchorage of the stay portion 19. The handle member 10 is provided with an opening or passage 2'7, preferably extending vertically therethrough. The terminal portions 28 of said brace members 24 are passed downwardly through said opening or passage 27, and the respective end portions thereof are wound, preferably in opposite directions, about the handle member 10 to form anchoring convolutions 29, the respective ends of which are brought together and intertwisted to form a securing interlock.

From the above description it will be obvious that the stay and brace members firmly hold the push-plate or blade in operative relation to the handle member, so that the former will easily resist the strains and stresses incident to the use thereof in cleaning operations. Said stay and brace members, being made of wire, may be tautly stretched so as to efficiently support the push-plate or blade against oscillation relative to the handle member, while nevertheless adding but a negligible amount of mass and weight to the implement as a whole.

In the use of the implement, the same is pushed over the surface to be cleaned, thus by a flowing effect displacing the snow therefrom. But little physical effort is required for such operation, as compared with that involved in shoveling, lifting and casting forth snow by means of conventional forms of snow shovels, and as a consequence the labor of snow removal and similar operations is considerably reduced.

By reason of its extremely light weight and the method of its operation, the implement may be easily manipulated even by women and children, and consequently affords a very satisfactory implement for the intended uses.

I am aware that various changes could be made in the above described constructions, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof. It is therefore intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. a Y

I claim:

1. In an implement of the kind described, a

push-plate having a straight bottom edge, a handle member having a shank portion extending through the body of said push-plate to provide a nosing projecting beyond the front face thereof, a

loo

tensional stay means anchored to said nosing and extending over a portion of said push-plate above said nosing and thence rearwardly into secured relation to said handle member, and tensional bracing means extending between the respective ends of said push-plate into secured relation to said handle member.

2. In an implement of the kind described, a push-plate having a straight bottom edge, a handle member having a shank portion extending through the body of said push-plate to provide a nosing projecting beyond the front face thereof, means to prevent rearward displacement of said push-plate relative to said handle member, and a tensional stay means anchored to said nosing and extending over a portion of said push-plate above said nosing and thence rearwardly into secured relation to said handle member.

3. In an implement of the kind described, a push-plate having a straightbottom edge, a handle member having a shank portion extending through the body of said push-plate to provide a nosing projecting beyond the front face thereof,

means to prevent rearward displacement of said push-plate relative to said handle member, a tensional stay means anchored to said nosing and extending over a portion of saidpush-plate above said nosing and thence rearwardly into secured relation to said handle member, and tensional bracing means extending between the respective ends of said push-plate into secured relation to said handle member.

4. In an implement of the kind described, a push plate having a straight bottom edge, a handle member attached to and rearwardly extending from said push-plate, a tensional stay wire extending from the upper portion of said pushplate and thence to said handle member, said handle member having a transverse opening through which the rear end portion of said stay wire passes, the free remaining portion of said stay wire being convolved about said handle memher and then intertwisted to provide a securing interlock, and tensional bracing wires respectively secured to the respective end portions of said push-plate to extend in rearwardly converging and secured relation to said handle member.

5. In an implement of the kind described, a push-plate having a straight bottom edge, a handle member attached to and rearwardly extending from said push-plate, a tensional stay wire extending from the upper portion of said pushplate and thence to said handle member, said handle member, having a transverse opening through which the rear end portion of said stay wire passes, the free remaining portion of said stay wire being convolved about said handle member and then intertwisted to provide a securing interlock, and tensional bracing wires respectively secured to the respective end portions of said push-plate to extend in rearwardly converging relation to said handle member, said handle member having a second transverse opening through which the rear end portions of said bracing wires pass, the free remaining portions of said bracing wires being convolved about said handle member and then intertwisted to provide a securing interlock.

6. In an implement of the kind described, a push-plate having a straight bottom edge, a handle member having a shank portion extending through the body of said push-plate to provide a nosing projecting beyond the front face thereof, means to prevent rearward displacement of said push-plate relative to said handle member, a tensional stay wire having its intermediate portion convolved about said nosing to provide an anchoring loop with branches of said stay wire extending upwardly over the front face of said push-plate and thence to said handle member, said handle member having a transverse opening through which the end portion of said stay wire branches are passed, the free ends of said branches being convolved about said handle member and then intertwisted to provide a securing interlock, and tensional bracing wires respectively secured to the respective end portions of said push plate to extend in rearwardly converging and secured relation to said handle member.

'7. In an implement of the kind described, a

push-plate having a' straight bottom edge, a handle member having a shank portion extending through the body of said push-plateto provide a nosing projecting beyond the front face thereof,

means to prevent rearward displacement of said push-plate relative to said handle member, a tenional stay wire having its intermediate portion convolved about said nosing to provide an anchoring loop with branches of said stay wire extending upwardly over thefront face of said push-plate and thence to said handle member, said handle member having a transverse opening through which the end portion of said stay Wire branches are passed, the free ends of said branches being convolved about said handle member and then intertwisted to provide a securing interlock, and tensional bracing wires respectively secured to the respective end portions of said push-plate to extend in rearwardly converging relation to said handle member, said handle member having a second transverse opening through which the rear end portions of said bracing wires pass, the free remaining portions of said bracing wires being convolved about said handle member and then intertwisted to provide a securing interlock.

8. In an implement of the kind described, a push-plate having a straight bottom edge, a handle member having a shank portion extending through the body of said push-plate to provide a nosing projecting beyond the front face thereof, means to prevent rearward displacement of said push-plate relative to said handle member,

.a tensional stay Wire having its intermediate portion convolved about said nosing to provide an anchoring loop with branches of said stay wire extending upwardly over the front face of said push-plate and thence to said handle member, said handle member having a transverse opening through which the end portion of said stay wire 'branches'are passed, the free ends of said branches being convolved about said handle memberand then intertwisted to provide a securing interlock, tensional bracing wires respectively secured to the respective end portions of said push-plate by looping the same through and around said plate end portions to form attached anchor loops, said bracing wires converging rearwardly upon said handle member, said handle member having a second transverse opening through which the rear end portions of said bracing wires pass, the free ends of said bracing wires being convolved about said handle member and then intertwisted to provide a securing interlock.

9. In an implement'of the kind described, a push-plate having a straight bottom edge, a handie member having a shank portion extending through the body of said push-plate to provide a nosing projecting beyond the front face thereof, means to prevent rearward displacement of said push-plate relative to said handle member, a tensional. stay wire having its intermediate portion convolved about said nosing to provide an anchoring loop with branches of said stay wire extending upwardly. over the front face of said push-plate and then into secured relation to said handlemember, and tensional bracing wires respectively secured to the respective end portions of said push-plate by locking the same through and around said plate end portions, and thence in rearwardly converging and secured relation to said handle member. 

